Ministerial Statement

Repatriation General Hospital

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (13:07): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: On Tuesday 25 October, the South Australian government announced an updated plan for the future development of the Repatriation General Hospital site. We announced that a consortium—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order, and if he does not cease interjecting I will compel him to be in the house at 2.30.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: We announced that a consortium, led by South Australian based not-for-profit ACH Group, will deliver a unique health, education, ageing and veterans' precinct at the Repatriation General Hospital site, working closely with RSL-SA to ensure a continued significant veterans presence on the site. The ACH Group's 'Open Daws' consortium, which also includes the Adelaide Community Healthcare Alliance, Healthscope, Anglicare, Flinders University and the RDNS, replaces the RSL consortium as the proponent for future use of the Repat site.

In November last year, SA Health sought expressions of interest from private sector and not-for-profit organisations interested in using the Repat site for rehabilitation, health, education, aged care or community-related services. An evaluation panel received five submissions as part of the EOI process, of which three aligned with the objectives for the future use of the site.

In May 2016, the RSL consortium, led by the New South Wales based RSL LifeCare, was selected as the preferred tender option. The ACH Group's consortium was one of the three that met the objectives, and narrowly missed out in this original process. The state government's announcement last week followed receipt of formal advice from RSL LifeCare on Monday 24  October advising that, due to internal issues within the RSL consortium, RSL LifeCare and the consortium were formally withdrawing their submission for the future use of the Repat site. On the same date—

Mr Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Morialta to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: On the same date, cabinet agreed to revise the successful proponent to redevelop the Repat site to the ACH Group-led consortium.

Mr Goldsworthy interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Kavel to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Of significance to the state, the Open Daws development will invest $200 million into the Repat site. The plan will create up to 1,000 new jobs during construction, as well as at least 250 ongoing health and ancillary jobs. It is anticipated to inject $20 million into the South Australian economy each year, once fully operational. There has been strong veteran involvement in the ACH Group's consortium, which has agreed to continue to collaborate with the veterans' community through planning and development of the site. The consortium will enshrine the site's important history by upgrading the chapel, Remembrance Garden and SPF Hall and museum.

Throughout this process, the state government has made it clear that our priority has been to maintain the Repat hospital site as a place where the community can access health, education and aged-care services. The Open Daws submission delivers on this, providing health and aged-care services, day hospital services, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services, facilities for education and training and an innovation hub, as well as residential accommodation for different community groups, including students, ageing in place, independent living units, veterans' housing and social and affordable housing.

Handover of the site is still expected to occur late next year, and I am absolutely confident the ACH-led consortium will deliver an outstanding and unique new precinct for the community.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Health offered no provocation to the opposition whatsoever in that ministerial statement and yet was met with a torrent of interjections. Accordingly, I call to order the deputy leader and I warn, for the first time, the member for Morialta.